Saturday, July 23, 2022

TV5: Review of SUNTOK SA BUWAN: A Burgeoning Boxer

July 19, 2022



When he was younger, Jimmy Boy Laurente (Aga Muhlach) was a well-known boxing champ in Baguio City, known especially for his signature move -- the Jimmy Boy Hitman Punch. Because of desperate choices he had made in his life, he has fallen into tough financial times. Even if he could now only support his family by driving his FX taxi, he remains a popular figure in his community. His son Jaime Laurente II (Elijah Canlas), nicknamed Dos, has decided to forego college for a boxing career himself, much to Jimmy Boy's dismay.

Dos accidentally bumped into Trina (Maris Racal) at the souvenir center and was smitten by her beauty. However, she turned out to be the new salesgirl of the shop beside Dos's, so the two would compete for customers. Dos's best friend Barok (Paulo Angeles) seemed to have a crush on Trina, even stocking their carinderia with her favorite yogurt drink. Meanwhile, goons were running after and harassing Jimmy Boy, saying they were sent by his former boss Magnum (Rez Cortez), to settle an old outstanding debt.

"Suntok sa Buwan" is the new teleserye of TV5 which premiered July 18, and airs Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at 7:15pm. They call it a movie-serye, likely because production work involved was cinematic in quality. It is co-produced by Antoinette Jadaone (who also wrote episodes) along with Dan Villegas (who also co-directs). Project 8 script supervisor Geo Lomuntad steps up as the director, with DP Kara Moreno, editor Benjo Ferrer, production designer Eero Francisco, music Emerzon Texon. The head writer is Tonio M. Rodulfo.

Aga Muhlach (still with his pretty-boy movie-star looks at age 52) and Elijah Canlas (with his "Gameboys" BL persona Cairo still fresh in mind) are not exactly the first actors you'd think of for a series about boxers. They have the dramatic and comedy parts down pat as expected. They would have to work harder to be convincing in the boxing action parts. A major fight between Canlas and the jerk bully played by Albie Casino is inevitable. Matet de Leon's guesting as National Team scout Coach Nesthy suggests bigger things are ahead for Dos.

The first meeting of Trina and Dos at the colorful and financially-troubled souvenir center was reminiscent of how Chichay met Joaquin at the similarly colorful and financially-troubled amusement park in the mega-hit 2013 teleserye "Got to Believe." Not unlike other teleseryes, the two do not exactly hit it off right away and get on each other's nerves at first. Aside from a possible love triangle scenario, they also had a cute little romantic twist about an anonymous rooftop "affair" going on. Trina's issues with her dad will surely come into play later.

The first episode already introduced the main characters and laid out the main story and conflict very well. It depicted a great father and son relationship (they hug, kiss and say "I love you" to each other in public). However, it also already hinted on Jimmy Boy's shady past and failing health which he is keeping secret from his son. By the third episode, we already get more details about these issues which will serve as the main sources of family melodrama to sustain the ongoing series in the weeks to come. 


1 comment:

  1. the night of the hunted is movie from 1980. I watched it twice still impressed since I watched it for the first time in 2008. Duration isn't too long something like 1h 40m. gta

    ReplyDelete